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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26430949">My Brother the Bard</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/alls_fair_in_pride_and_prejudice/pseuds/alls_fair_in_pride_and_prejudice'>alls_fair_in_pride_and_prejudice</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tumblr requests and self-indulgent fluff pieces [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Blades of Light and Shadow (Visual Novel)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Family Fluff, Gen, Self-Doubt, story telling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:49:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>722</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26430949</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/alls_fair_in_pride_and_prejudice/pseuds/alls_fair_in_pride_and_prejudice</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>MC is recounting their adventures to their brother, Kade, who is very proud of the person his sibling became.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kade &amp; Main Character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tumblr requests and self-indulgent fluff pieces [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1920859</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>My Brother the Bard</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>We all need a little encouragement from time to time, even when you're a hero of legend. I don't have a brother, but I have a friend who might as well be, so Kade was inspired by him. Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So the woman pretending to be Kaya was actually Duchess Xenia, and she revealed herself in front of everyone, and”<br/>“Hold on, hold on!” Kade interrupts. “You’re going way too fast, I need to get all this down.”<br/>I suppose I must be going fast, considering that he can’t seem to keep up even in shorthand, a skill he picked up a few years ago so he could get all his ideas out easier. “Sorry,” I say. “It’s a lot, I know. It’s really nice to get it all out, to talk to someone about it.”<br/>Kade pats me on the back. “Hey, I will always be here to listen to your very awesome stories. Think of all the ballads I can make from this!”<br/>I roll my eyes, waiting patiently for Kade to finish. Being back in Riverbend, it almost feels like old times, but at least now we’re not at risk of being kicked out of the tavern like we used to. People keep sending drinks and food our way when they hear who I am. It’s weird… but I suppose it has its perks. Kade pauses, staring at the page, not writing anything. “Um… Kade? You okay?”<br/>He answers while tapping his quill at the page. “Yeah, I’m just trying to figure out how to phrase this. I know there’s a cool turn of phrase I can do about Xenia masquerading as Kaya <em>at the masquerade ball.</em>”<br/>I laugh, remembering how easy it is for him to get like this. “Maybe let me continue the story and you can work out your clever word play <em>later?</em>”<br/>That snaps him out of it, eager to hear more about the adventure. “Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, continue! So, Duchess Xenia, one of the head members of the shadow court, shows up, and you face her head on? I never thought you’d do something like <em>that.</em> I mean, you’re brave and all, but the <em>freaking shadow court?</em> How did it feel?”<br/>I shrug. Duchess Xenia seems like such a small threat compared to the Dreadlord. “I wasn’t alone or anything. I had Tyril, and Imtura, and Mal, and all the elves that were there.”<br/>“Those stuck up royal elves helped you?” Kade scoffs. “Aren’t all the Undermount elves notoriously self-serving and conniving in their power struggles?”<br/>I shake my head. “They just needed a little encouragement.”<br/>Kade’s eyes go wide. “Wait… did you… did you <em>rally them?</em>”<br/>I shrug, suddenly modest. “I mean, I gave a little speech but...”<br/>“You got the elves of Undermount to work together and fight?” Kade barks out a laugh. “Just when I thought you couldn’t get any more impressive.”<br/>I bump my shoulder against his in a playful shove. “You sure have a penchant for exaggeration. What, are you going to say in these ballads? That I was some sort of vengeful Valkyrie banishing the entirety of the Shadow Court in a blast of light?” I put the back of my hand on my forehead, mimicking a swoon, “And everyone else was helpless before my awesomeness?”<br/>“I mean, is that <em>not</em> what happened?” Kade asks, leveling me with a critical look.<br/>I curl in on myself, staring at the ground. “I don’t know. I was just… there. It all kind of happened and I was along for the ride, just doing my best. I’ve never felt particularly impressive.”<br/>Kade grabs both my shoulders. “You listen to me, and you listen <em>good.</em> What you have done is amazing, and I will always be grateful that you came for me, but I want you to know that even before all this, before Mal showed up in Riverbend, before the Shadow Court or any of it, I have always been proud to call myself your brother.”<br/>A few happy tears prick at my eyes. “You’ve always had a way with words, Kade.”<br/>He smirks and gives me a sideways hug. “That’s why <em>I’m</em> the bard, and <em>you’re</em> the adventurer that gives me material. We’re a good team like that. Now, enough moping and on with the story. You said there was a scepter involved, right?”<br/>“No, keep up, the scepter was a decoy.” Before long I’m back in the thick of the story, with a warmth of gratitude in my heart that I have family like Kade in my life.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Come say hi on my Tumblr! https://alls-fair-in-pride-and-prejudice.tumblr.com<br/>And if you comment I will love you forever</p></blockquote></div></div>
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